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Favorite Scothch for the $

Greggj77

Greggj77

Active Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2007
Messages
971
Hello All,

I am an avid scotch drinker in somewhat of what you might call a rut. Not that it is a bad rut persay as it is a rut that is trenched by my fondness and cravings for my old favorite single malts.

With that said, I am looking at branching my tastes and experience a little and was wondering what all you other scotties might be enjoying. But, am fearfull that if I shell out $90 for a single malt and don't like it I will be very pissed. This is always in the back of my mind and I figure why put myself through this so I inevitably end up back on the same track. I knwo not all taste are esquall but figured an open dialougue could at least reduce the chances of this happening.

For me I have quite a wide palate but, seem to be drawn to the Highland and Islay Malts regular indulgences include:

Highland Park 18yo one of my personal favorites and a great QPR (Quality / Price Ratio)
Highland Park 12yo

Macallan 12 yo Like the sherry as it is different than most of my other scotch's and is a great QPR

The Balvenie 15yo also at the top of my list and probably my most frequented. again another great QPR
The Balvenie Doublewood

Lagavulin 16yo

Oban 14yo

Laphroaig 15yo

So question being what are you drinking that is under or around 100 bones that you really enjoy. This could be an everyday drinker or something that you take out only with that Opus or GOF on special occasions.

Just wondering what you all are drinking these days. As for me, I would say definitely get yourself a bottle of HP 18 and The Balv 15.

Thanks in advance for your time this should be interesting.

Best,
Gregg
 
Wow... except for the Highland Park, I currently have all those in my cabinet now... Good taste!!! I guess I wouldn't be much help ???... Sorry...

I'll try the HP18

-Frank
 
If you like sherried scotches, you might want to try Aberlour A'bunadh. It's really good. A word of caution - unlike the others you listed, it is cask strength.
 
I've done 122 Scotch reviews, surely a few should give you an idea.

You have read them all haven't you ???
 
I highly recommend you spend some time reading over AVB's reviews. There is a wealth of information there to help break you out of your rut. I've picked up many new bottles in the past year or so after reading his reviews and have yet to be caught by surprise.

From what you posted I think you might enjoy Talisker 18. It won World's best single at the 2007 WWA's and is well within your price range at around $65-$70.
Talisker 18
Review Here:

For something a little different than your standard MACALLAN 12 you might enjoy MACALLAN 15 Fine Oak. Both Spirit Journal Magazine and Dave Broom rate this very high and I have to agree. Gavin Smith on the other hand was less impressed but still gave it a favorable review. This is my favorite right now. Jim Murry rated this 95 out of 100.
Dave's Review
The MACALLAN 15 Fine Oak
 
AVB said:
I've done 122 Scotch reviews, surely a few should give you an idea.

You have read them all haven't you ???
Click to expand...


Good Day AVB,

I have read quite a few of them but, as in reviews it does not take in a the readers potential flavor profile's and drinking habits and the longevity. BTW they are great reviews and I have spent more than a few minutes, ok probably hours :),scouring through them.

The real reason for my post was more that I was looking at getting some feedback on what everybody seems to keep going back to. You know the type of scotch that keeps calling your name rather than the type that captivates you at first dram then fades off into the sunset and you end up back where you began.

I was looking for the type of scotchthat our fellow botls consider a must have and can keep your interest over the years and regardless of where your flavor profile is at the moment you can pick up at any time and remember "oh ya now I remembered why I liked this so much"
 
Ahhh, I see what you are looking for and to that end.....I drink more Balvenie 15 than anything else.

Greggj77 said:
AVB said:
I've done 122 Scotch reviews, surely a few should give you an idea.

You have read them all haven't you ???
Click to expand...


Good Day AVB,

I have read quite a few of them but, as in reviews it does not take in a the readers potential flavor profile's and drinking habits and the longevity. BTW they are great reviews and I have spent more than a few minutes, ok probably hours :),scouring through them.

The real reason for my post was more that I was looking at getting some feedback on what everybody seems to keep going back to. You know the type of scotch that keeps calling your name rather than the type that captivates you at first dram then fades off into the sunset and you end up back where you began.

I was looking for the type of scotchthat our fellow botls consider a must have and can keep your interest over the years and regardless of where your flavor profile is at the moment you can pick up at any time and remember "oh ya now I remembered why I liked this so much"
Click to expand...
 
Caol Ila 18yo.

An afforadable Islay that is one of my favorites! :thumbs:

Laphroaig Quarter Cask (that I was introduced to very recently..... :whistling: ) is another great deal for a very nice Islay.

Other than those two, you already mentioned a few of my favorites (Lagavulin 16yo, Oban 14yo & Laphroaig 15yo).

If you're an Islay fan (like me), I'd bet you'd like the Talisker 18yo as well.

Thanks to AVB, my tastes are for the higher end Islays but since I don't want to plow through the nice bottles I have in my collection, I find myself going to the three Islays you mentioned and the three I listed here as I try and preserve my fancy bottles for as long as I can. :D
 
My $.02 - Ardbeg 10 is $45 - 60 and truly reminds me of why I drink Scotch, but then again so does the Lag in a different way. To lift a quote :) "Scotch is the spinach to my Popeye and the Kryptonite to my Superman all in one!"
 
230227739.jpg
 
I've tried Scotch only once (along with a cigar) and I enjoyed it very much.
I'm just commenting on your thread title and lisp. :laugh:
 
CoventryCat86 said:
Laphroaig Quarter Cask (that I was introduced to very recently..... :whistling: ) is another great deal for a very nice Islay.
Click to expand...

This stuff is ridiculously good!

Edit to add: I keep coming back to Laphroaig 10 and Ardbeg 10. I love them, and they're pretty inexpensive.
 
Bowmore 17 is more of my current favorite. I have Tim to thank for that.
 
indyrob said:
Bowmore 17 is more of my current favorite. I have Tim to thank for that.
Click to expand...


I recall having the Bowmore 15 and enjoying it. I am currently trying to locate a bottle of the talisker the bowmore might be next in line.
 
AVB said:
Ahhh, I see what you are looking for and to that end.....I drink more Balvenie 15 than anything else.

Greggj77 said:
AVB said:
I've done 122 Scotch reviews, surely a few should give you an idea.

You have read them all haven't you ???
Click to expand...


Good Day AVB,

I have read quite a few of them but, as in reviews it does not take in a the readers potential flavor profile's and drinking habits and the longevity. BTW they are great reviews and I have spent more than a few minutes, ok probably hours :),scouring through them.

The real reason for my post was more that I was looking at getting some feedback on what everybody seems to keep going back to. You know the type of scotch that keeps calling your name rather than the type that captivates you at first dram then fades off into the sunset and you end up back where you began.

I was looking for the type of scotchthat our fellow botls consider a must have and can keep your interest over the years and regardless of where your flavor profile is at the moment you can pick up at any time and remember "oh ya now I remembered why I liked this so much"
Click to expand...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the infor I completely agree, I head to the Balvenie quite frequently myself. Definitely a great scotch. and in the top 3 of my rotation.
 
Just finished off a bottle of the Balvenie 15 based on the various recommendations. It's an excellent scotch! However, it's but a bit pricey (I paid $60), which is why I'm looking into the Balvenie 12 year double wood. What's putting me off is last night I had a glass of Glenlivet 12 year and it wasn't even close to the Balvenie 15 in terms of smoothness (or flavor for that matter)! Can anyone who's had both the Balvenie 15 and 12 comment on the differences? Is there such a dramatic dropoff from the 15 to the 12?
 
They are quite different since the 15 is casked only in ex-bourbon casks and the DoubleWood, as the name implies, spends some time in sherry casks too. The Double Wood is not just a younger version of the 15 but most people seem to like it and it is one I recommend for those starting out.

wes888 said:
Just finished off a bottle of the Balvenie 15 based on the various recommendations. It's an excellent scotch! However, it's but a bit pricey (I paid $60), which is why I'm looking into the Balvenie 12 year double wood. What's putting me off is last night I had a glass of Glenlivet 12 year and it wasn't even close to the Balvenie 15 in terms of smoothness (or flavor for that matter)! Can anyone who's had both the Balvenie 15 and 12 comment on the differences? Is there such a dramatic dropoff from the 15 to the 12?
Click to expand...
 
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